


the happiest trees

by brandywine421



Category: Daredevil (TV), Jessica Jones (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Infertility, M/M, Pandemics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-25
Updated: 2019-08-04
Packaged: 2020-05-19 09:37:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19354348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brandywine421/pseuds/brandywine421
Summary: "What do you hear?" she asked, cupping her hands over his ears until he closed his eyes."Something that wasn't there when I fell asleep," he said finally and slowly raised his hand to poke her in the bellybutton with a cold finger."God, you're - serious," Jessica blanched.He nodded his head slowly. "I called your doctor at four a.m. because - I - I'm sure it's just my imagination."She blinked at him. "You have, like, zero imagination - are you - do you still hear it?""Oh yeah," he murmured.Ten years ago, this would be a life-changing event, sure, but today, now, in this new world - babies didn't happen. Babies hadn't happened in ten years."You called Rio?""First appointment of the day," Matt nodded. "We can't have a dog if we have a kid so it's time sensitive."*now with fluffy bonus epilogues.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, I read a few books about the apocalypse recently, _(which sounds awful, btw, let's not do that)_ but I also finally watched Into the Spider-verse which was totally better. So my muses decided that I should write a self-indulgent post-apocalypse fic with some Miles to make it totally better.

   
"Are you staring at me? I hate it when you stare at me."

"I'm not sure how to respond to that."

She rolled over and flung her arm across his chest. "Listening to me, same diff. What time is it?"

"Early. Jess. I think - God, I don't know where to start. We can't get a dog."

She sat up fully and blinked at the lack of sunlight through the windows. It's fucking early, too early for daylight and too early for talk. "What's got you buzzed out?" He moved to crouch on his knees, boxer briefs stretched low on the side with the patch of ragged old scars.

They're a matched set, the months after the end of the world rolled into years and now, finally, their new reality was sharing a bed and a home and - as of yesterday - a possible dog.

They've earned a dog, haven't they? "Matt?" she called again when he didn't move from his odd perch at her side.

"I made you an appointment with Doc M. Depending on what she says, I might need to start those anti-psych meds again," Matt said.

"What do you hear?" she asked, cupping her hands over his ears until he closed his eyes.

"Something that wasn't there when I fell asleep," he said finally and slowly raised his hand to poke her in the bellybutton with a cold finger.

"Hey! God, you're - shit, you are serious," Jessica blanched.

He shook his head. "I called your doctor at four a.m. because - I - I'm sure it's just my imagination."

She blinked at him. "You have, like, zero imagination - are you - do you still hear it?"

"Oh yeah," he murmured.

Ten years ago, this would be a life-changing event, sure, but today, now, in this new world - babies didn't happen. Babies hadn't happened in ten years.

"You called Rio?"

"First appointment of the day," Matt nodded. "We can't have a dog if we have a kid."

"Table all of that for later," Jessica ordered. "We're not talking about - any of those things until I piss in a cup for the doc."

 

* * *

 

"Matt, go check on my kid - make sure he eats something to chase that coffee before he starts his rounds," Rio ordered. He waited for Jessica to nod and closed the door on his way out.

Rio Morales, aka Doc M, ran the New Brooklyn Clinic and had been one of the first true friends she'd made since the virus. She thought vaguely that the remaining scientists called it an 'algae bloom' but it didn't make a difference when it killed indiscriminately.

Matt had sniffed her out of a collapsed subway tunnel a few years in and left her on Doc M's doorstep, growling at anyone else who dared touch her - and six months later when she could walk again - she'd dragged him in the rubble of Hell's Kitchen when it finally fell to the fires.

It took him nine months to recover but both Rio and Jessica found out he'd been dispatching the Spider on his fire escape to fight crime by month six. Miles and Matt were unlikely partners but New Brooklyn was the largest urban settlement in what used to be New York State - ten thousand strong and steady.

Rio stared at her. "What's wrong? Why did he call and not - "

"Matt hears a heartbeat," she blurted out, digging her fingers into her thighs. "I really don't want him to be crazy again but - what if he's not crazy? I trust his fucking ears, can you - "

Rio stared at her a long moment. "I trust his ears, too but - "

"Right?" Jessica threw up her hands. "You're the doctor, check stuff."

"I'm not - right, you don't care - here - we'll get your weight and your - never mind, lay down - " Rio ordered, grabbing the rolling ultrasound machine instead of the plastic cup Jessica expected. "Lay the fuck down."

 

* * *

 

Rio sent Matt in when she'd taken Jessica's bodily fluids to the lab to personally run the tests to prove the tiny smudge with the tiny thump-thump-thump wasn't an alien or parasite in her belly.

Matt didn't seem relieved to be not hallucinating and she didn't feel like reassuring him when she was having a slow-burn fall into insanity on her own.

"I can't handle a kid."

"Sure you can, you've been taking care of me for years," he rumbled into her ear.

She turned her head into his neck, breathing him in. They made each other stronger. "I can't have it in the city."

"I'll make some calls," Matt said easily.

"I can't - shit. I want to, but - I can't, Matt," she whispered.

"Hey. This is brand new information, give yourself a second," Matt said. "Mrs. Morales is coming back, she hates me so much."

"You never come to the clinic as DD, the neighborhood thinks you're snubbing them," Jess explained. He gave her a genuinely confused expression. "I know social cues aren't your thing but she doesn't."

"People ask me for autographs and try to take pictures with me if I come in the suit," he pouted, sliding his hands down her sides to rest on her waist. "This is entirely your thing, but I'm here when you decide what you want that to mean."

Rio stepped into the room with a slightly startled expression. "Excuse me. I just assumed you were the father."

"He is, just - don't make him think about it yet, we can only meltdown one at a time and it's my turn," Jessica said quickly.

"Right," Matt nodded.

"What are you going to do?" Rio blurted out. "I mean, this is - kind of - important."

"I shouldn't stay in the borough, not where everyone knows me," Jessica said.

Matt nodded and repeated, "I'm going to make some calls."

"It's not like booking a vacation, ninety-five percent of Earth is considered uninhabitable," Rio said.

"They don't have phones there," Matt replied after a beat. "We need time to think."

Rio turned her full attention to Jessica. "Please."

"You get off at twelve, right? Come to ours, have Miles bring you," Jessica said. "You won't tell anyone?"

"Of course not, but I can make calls, too - "

"Nope," Matt cut her off. "Save it, you and Miles are the only two people in the city that need to know anything's different. Please."

 

* * *

 

Sam answered the call and stepped out of the room, too curious to risk waking Bucky from his post 'five time zones in an hour' nap.

"Hey. Is there a reason you called me instead of - " he started but Matt's voice interrupted and he could tell across the distance that something was wrong.

"You don't like it when I call him first. This is - shit - can we just be friends right now and deal with the bullshit later?" The man without fear sounded - well, like he had some fear.

"Sure, man. What's going on?" He kept his voice level, but not too level - Matt didn't like to be 'handled'.

"I knocked up my girl," Matt whispered. "She wants to get out of the city and the fuck am I supposed to do, Sammy? I'm not a doctor - I can't drive, I can't - "

"Stop talking and take a breath - you're making a scene," Sam said and the scolding worked, a harsh breath followed by two softer ones. "Are you sure she's - "

"Oh yeah. I can hear it. I - what am I going to do? I don't do threesomes and I woke up with two heartbeats in my bed - I thought I was losing time all over again. Doc M destroyed the blood samples but it's - we don't want it to leak."

Sam shuddered at the thought. It's been nine years since the pandemic and eight years and some change since any human had given birth. "Okay. Who else knows? You, Jess, Doc M - who else?"

"Spider-Man, that's it. Should I try and talk her into staying - "

"No, don't tell anyone else," he said immediately. "Wakanda or New Asgard - I know you don't leave the borough but - "

"It's not about me ever again, Sammy, not - the fuck am I talking about, are you - "

"I can guarantee the safety of you and yours, Matty, just say the word," Sam said. God, they needed some good news.

The door clicked open and Bucky narrowed betrayed eyes at him. "Is that - "

"I'll talk to Jess. Thank you."

"Hey. You want us to come - " Bucky got all up in his space and Sam had to shove him off.

"I don't know how soon she'll want to - "

"We'll come now, just in case," Sam said, warning Bucky off with a glare that stopped him cold. "Take another breath and - "

"Don't handle me, Sammy, I'm - shit. It's Jessica's turn - "

"You know that taking turns thing doesn't work, just - try and hold it together. I'll buzz you when we hit US airspace, all right?"

He slid his phone into his pocket and steadied himself for Bucky's incoming interrogation.

"Who's hurt?" Bucky asked instead, eyes dark. "You can tell me - has to be a reason he called you and not me."

"Shit, it's not like that. It's - complicated. We're going to New Brooklyn because he needs a safe haven and - "

"What happened?" Bucky searched his face. "Tell me."

"He asked for help," Sam said. "Jess is - "

"Doesn't matter, let's go - are you still packed? Let's go," Bucky said, darting for the door until Sam caught his belt and tugged him to a stop.

"I forgave you both years ago, Buck. He called me first because he still remembers the old world rules of respecting the new boyfriend. Okay?"

"No."

"Really?" Sam hesitated.

Bucky snorted, kissing his nose. "Shut up, he's my fucking friend not a friend I'm fucking - but you said he asked for help and he never - "

"I'll tell you on the jet. We're going in dark - if they're ready when we get there, we won't even need to stay the night."

"Fuck you, I haven't been to New Brooklyn since they put out the pyres," Bucky warned.

 

* * *

 

He slid down one of Miles' webs to the fire escape he needed and checked the glossy tag that marked the building as under the Devil and the Spider's umbrella. The kid had changed his paint to make sure Matt could feel the boundaries if time had taken too much of the scent.

"Finally, drink this - it's - I don't want to waste it because it's your favorite but I poured everything else down the drain," Jessica said, shoving a bottle of scotch into his hand. "Do it."

Fine. It was expensive when he bought it before the end of the world - it lived in his suicide box and he didn't think she knew - wait - "Where - "

"You don't get to keep the box, Rio says this thing is real and there's no chance I'm letting you off the hook for this."

He uncapped the bottle and drained it without bothering with a breath.

"That's hot. Kiss me."

He should tell her that Miles and Rio were only a few minutes out but he'd gotten better at following instructions. He leaned into the kiss as she ran her hands over him in a familiar post-patrol pat-down. He was trembling too much to touch her bare skin but he crossed his wrists on her lower back and held her close.

"You all right?"

"God no," she hummed against his lips. "But we've made it through worse things than a baby. I can't do this, but we can."

He kissed her. He needed her to say it out loud but he didn't want to ask her to. "Yeah. We can totally do it."

"I'm sorry we can't have a dog," she said.

"Not sure this is your fault," he laughed. "And a kid will live, what, twice as long as a dog so win-win."

Miles and Rio climbed through the window and the nurse cleared her throat. "Exactly how long do you think dogs live, Matt?"

"You're not getting the puppy? What happened?" Miles asked, heartbroken.

"They're getting something better," Rio smiled.

 

* * *

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Please note that author fails at math and all number related details. I went back and tweaked a couple of bits related to timeline in case that matters to people. (Basically, Miles was 10-ish when the pandemic hit, got nommed by the spider around 15 and started working with Matt when he landed in New Brooklyn and is now 20-ish.) Everyone knows Matt wouldn't have given up on Hell's Kitchen until he absolutely had to so estimate that around year 5 post-pandemic.

 

  
"I made my calls," Matt said when Miles and Rio had settled in with tea and coffee. "New Asgard or Wakanda." Jessica tugged his wrist until he sat beside her on the couch.

Rio whistled.

"Wakanda?  We'll stick out there, won't we?" Jessica asked.

"Not as much as ten years ago," Matt shrugged.

"Wow. I didn't know you had contacts that far outside of Brooklyn," Miles said softly.

Rio seemed to agree and raised an eyebrow at her.

Jessica motioned to Matt who shifted uncomfortably. "You want to tell them or surprise them?"

Matt frowned with an annoyed twitch in her direction. "I'd like to think we all make better decisions now, but there was a time when I - did not make good decisions."

"We know that, but - " Miles started.

"I had a fling with someone I shouldn't have and everyone's moved on. We're still friends but it's - Sam's allowed to talk all the shit to me," Matt sighed, covering his face with his hand.

She regretted bringing it up considering that response and Miles and Rio's matching reactions made it worse. Rio smacked him on the leg. "You offended the superior Captain America?"

"It was - complicated back then. Natasha died and nobody told me - she'd been dead for months, so yeah, I went off the rails and made some mistakes."

Jessica rubbed his knee and recaptured his attention. "It was a long time ago. They're good friends - great friends. Sam just takes advantage of Matt's guilt complex to hassle him about it."

"But - they can get you to Wakanda or N.A.?" Rio asked.

Jessica squeezed Matt's knee again, hard until he winced and gave her a confused look. "Yeah. I want them to come too, Matt, she's - we read all the books about dogs and we have nothing on babies."

Matt paused as if his brain was reloading. "I think that's up to Rio and Miles, but, I can try and find baby books?"

Miles sputtered. "Jessica, you broke him, stop it."

Rio glanced at Miles. "We can't leave New Brooklyn, the clinic and - we couldn't."

"Just think about it," Jessica blurted out. "I don't want strangers helping me with this and I trust you."

 

* * *

 

  
"Sam didn't tell me the deal until we were halfway across the Atlantic, so I'm sorry but I'm gonna have to hug your girl first," Bucky said when Matt opened the door at their soft knock.

Matt stepped aside so Bucky could ambush Jessica in a crushing embrace and promptly press his face into her belly. She could handle herself so Sam sighed and gave Matt a hand-clasp and less-forceful hug. "How you doing?"

"She wants baby books. Talk about unrealistic expectations," Matt said, his words muffled in the hug until Sam released him.

Sam held his face in both hands for a moment. "You're all over this. We got your back."

"And baby books?" Matt blinked at him before releasing a smile. "Thanks, Sam."

There was a thump and a squeal as Jessica body-slammed Bucky and when they turned she was sitting on his back with an annoyed expression. "Hey, Wilson."

"Jones," Sam laughed.

"I can hear it too, Matt. Kudos on not being nuts again," Bucky said.

"Thanks. I'd like you to meet our friends, Rio and Miles Morales," Matt motioned to the pair of strangers staring at them from the couch.

"Now you tell us," Sam groaned, offering his hand. "Sam Wilson."

"Wow, it's - wow. Honor. To meet you," the kid said, shaking his hand - much steadier than his voice.

"How soon are you wanting to leave, did Matt tell you?" Bucky asked Jessica, settling for a wave of greeting.

Jessica hesitated. "We're thinking about it. I want Doc M and Miles to come with."

"A doctor, great, hey, so, that makes you the new Spider-Man?" Sam asked, grinning when the kid immediately ducked his head.

"I'm not a real doctor, I mean, it's more of an honorary title. I was a nurse before - " Rio interrupted.

Bucky lit up. "That's even better. Tell your staff you're going to finish your training. Who can you get to cover the borough while you're gone?"

"We have a great police force and we know most of the people we drag down there," Miles chirped, showing less of a problem with the suggested trip than his mom.

"Won't take long for people to know you're not topping off your boundary tags," Sam said. "Gotta have backup."

"Frank's long retired, and he's always going to default to guns," Matt murmured. "I still have to tell him about the dog."

"Wade would do it, but he considers reckless homicide a bonus," Jessica added.

Rio hummed. "What about the firebug?"

"Johnny - hell, he's not a vigilante, you ever tried to do a stakeout with that guy?" Jessica snorted.

"His girlfriend's pretty smart, he's been doing a lot better since she moved in," Miles said.

Matt tilted his head at Sam. "You guys know Maria, right? If she backs him up, that might work."

Sam boggled at him. "She promised me that it was a one-night-stand."

"She's a spy. She lies," Jessica shrugged.

 

* * *

 

"Ski boots," Miles said, holding out the modified sneakers. "Tweaked the bottom where it notches with the skis so Matt can snag on with a hand and lock in a foot - they only slot together when he taps the right spot."

Bucky gave Sam his best puppy-dog eyes. "Please? I wanna see Brooklyn."

"Keep it on the DL, we don't want anyone to know we're here," Sam warned. He softened his tone for the kid. "Storm won't flame you if you show up?"

"Nah, he and Matt had a spiral together before I was around, but he's always been cool with me," Miles shrugged.

"What kind of spiral?" Bucky asked, working his foot into one of Matt's boots with a determined expression.

Miles looked away. "My dad went fast, a couple of days after the first wave - he was gone. Didn't know how lucky that made us at the time, you know? Johnny's family - they didn't go fast. Matt said they were working with the army 'til the very end and Johnny didn't get to be with his sister when - they both have residual issues about being apart from their people at the end," he finished quietly.

"Yeah," Sam sighed.

"He's okay now," Miles said, shaking off all the words he probably hadn't meant to say. "He works with the fire department, he can absorb the flames so we don't have to waste water and doesn't even need a liaison - I have to deal with the cops because Matt's such a spaz."

Sam doubted that was the whole reason, Matt had this kid in full-on training without letting him in on it. The legacy of a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man went a lot further than a devil that stalked dark alleys.

Bucky stood up in the boots with a pleased expression. "All right, enough boring talk - show me what you've done with my city, Spider-Man."

 

* * *

 

Sam knew that his friends were legitimately freaking out about possibly birthing the first baby in almost a decade - but fuck if he didn't have hope for the first time since Rhodey choked to death on his own vomit in midflight.

He'd fought wars, alien and homeland, survived invasions and monsters - he protected life, all life, any life - but fuck - they needed new life. They needed something to keep going other than just trying not to die.

He was all in. They were going to protect this fucking kid and he wasn't even talking about Spider-Man. Rio and Jess made their arrangements to pass over their jobs, the clinic to Rio's staff and Jessica's workload of logistics and communications to Maria Hill - who seemed more excited to get her hands back on a communicator than the idea of a possible baby-breakthrough. Miles had been wrong about who played liaison for the city's vigilantes but Sam wasn't going to burst his bubble.

"Um. Did you pack all our stuff? Are you allowed to touch my stuff?" Matt asked when everyone had trickled into the apartment.

"I hate packing and he needed something to do," Jessica shrugged. "We have a plan."

"We do?" Matt asked. "Is that why you abandoned me to tell Frank about the dog - "

"Yes, that's exactly why. Nobody needed to see you cry, we have things to do," Jessica said, kissing his frown into a pout.

Sam was going to make this work out for everyone. Maybe he'd get Bucky a dog but for now - he was on the job.

"Wakanda's first. Check it out, meet the Queen, let her play with the new Spider-Man for a couple of days and then we'll head to New Asgard for the same routine. You can make the decision after you've seen them both. Sound good?" Sam asked.

Matt turned to Jessica. "You have to punch me in the head as soon as you buckle me in."

She took his face in her hands. "No, you are already way past the concussion limit for brain damage. Drugs or nothing - "

"I can't - that'll make it so much worse," Matt protested.

He'd forgotten about Matt's problem with flying.

Miles whistled and Matt automatically tuned toward him. "We got this, man. You used to puke if I swung you more than three blocks at a time but we worked it out. We'll sit on the plane, you'll do your meditation thing and learn all the noises before we take off."

Smart kid.

"I can still get drunk on the plane, right?" Rio asked after a beat.

Smarter mom.

 

* * *

 

The Dora Milaje converged on the gym the morning after they landed. Matt was jittery and twitchy with his new environment and Jessica had lost all her abrasive grace and decided Matt wasn't allowed out of her sight - which was a problem when Sam was sneaking in doctors to check her over.

Miles was already tired of all the hormones and took advantage of his mother's order to 'take the Devil for a walk'.

But the Queen's promised gym was packed and he didn't think that was going to help Matt's nerves.

Matt's mouth turned up in a smile. "Did you go out swinging last night?"

Shit. "Why?"

"You caught some attention. Did you tag anything?"

"Just the plane," Miles admitted.

Queen Shuri approached in warrior garb instead of the royal robes he expected. She bowed. "You're a show-off. Anyone can be fast and invisible, but we want to see how you fight."

Oh no. Miles grabbed Matt's wrist. "I take it back, we can totally go outside and smell flowers."

"Nope," Matt smiled brightly. "This is perfect. You need all the help."

Shuri glanced between them and settled on Matt. "You are his teacher?"

"Of course not," Matt replied. "I'm way too old for that."

Miles stared after him and finally threw up his hands and stomped after him. "You're totally going to embarrass me in front of the queen."

"Totally," Matt agreed.

Miles had gotten better at the boxing elements but he would never level up to Matt's 'not-kung-fu' despite years of practice - not that Matt would let him stop practicing.

"You get three shots and then we'll start," Matt said, taking a packet of Twizzlers from his back pocket. Miles narrowed his eyes and switched his invisibility on. Twizzlers were his favorite and they were totally hard to get. Matt tucked it back into his pocket and Miles took his first swing.

He tuned out the audience in pursuit of the chewy treats and traded punches with Matt until they were both loose enough to make contact - he didn't manage to snatch the snack before he clipped Matt's chin for the official 'third tap' and the not-kung-fu part of the sparring began.

Matt's goal was to shock him into dropping the camo and Miles' goal was always the candy - but he got sloppy and slung a web too soon and Matt caught it, yanked and had him on his back with a knee in his chest.

He remembered the crowd when they broke into applause and Matt dropped off him to sit and tear open the Twizzlers. "You're sloppy."

"Your face is sloppy," Miles muttered. Matt offered him a single strip of candy as Shuri walked over with bottles of water.

"Highness," Matt offered her a piece of candy that she greedily accepted. "How was the show?"

"Impressive, from what we could see. We'd like to train with you both, it's been too long since we've practiced with outsider skills," Shuri said.

"Again, way too old for that, but Miles is all yours," Matt grinned.

 

* * *

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone that's taken the time to click a kudos or comment - I'm enjoying this story a lot and it helps so much to know that some of you are enjoying it, too. ♥

  
"God, Jessica, what is with you?" Rio demanded, shaking her friend. "You have never been the clingy girlfriend and hormones are not a valid excuse, you're being a weirdo."

She shivered despite the humid heat from the open windows. The air was so fucking clear here she wanted to puke. "Am I freaking out?"

"Yes."

She turned to Rio. "I don't want him to lose it. I feel like he's going to lose it."

Rio sighed. "Right now, you're losing it. Talk it through."

She took a deep breath. "I can't process that a baby is growing inside of me. I can't process that the rules to this world are changing again. But I *can* process that Matt's only a few miles clear of his detour into Crazytown and - "

"Full stop," Rio ordered. "You know that's not how it works. He's been level for years and you didn't watch him like this when he was talking to dead people the last time."

"I wasn't starting a family with the fucker - I wasn't - I wasn't in danger of being the one to send him off the deep end. God, I just - he's my last link to 'before', you know? I can't - risk losing that."

The door to their suite clicked open and Matt appeared with Miles who ignored the tension in the room and hurried to her side.

"Mom, Matt's totally throwing me under the bus and telling the Dora Milaje I'm here to train," Miles whined.

"At no point did I say that," Matt said, curling Jessica against his chest with a muted hum. "We're taking a shower and a nap, this weather is automatically a veto from me."

Sam arrived with an apologetic and possibly embarrassed expression and the Queen of Wakanda smugly kicking at his heels. "Try to keep a secret from me, Loser. Introduce me to your friends and tell me why my medical staff is suddenly asking for extra shifts."

Matt frowned. "I thought you told her."

"I don't want her or Val to influence your decision," Sam replied weakly.

"Christ," Jessica whispered. "You trust her, right?"

"Of course," Shuri puffed up and Sam nodded.

"Jessica's about - eight weeks pregnant and they don't want to be labrats or celebrities and we can't handle that in New Brooklyn," Rio said, needing the tension to break.

"Eight weeks? That's a lot of weeks," Matt said. "Did you know that?"

"I told you but you were listening to the forest," Jessica murmured.

"It's a jungle and there are so many bugs, I can barely hear myself think," Matt replied. "Shower and nap?"

The Queen of Wakanda walked over and took Rio's hand. "Obviously you're the only one with common sense in the room. Walk with me while I set up a secure line with Valkyrie and we discuss this like adults. Your Spider can bring the others when they've had their naps."

"No, Miles and Cap are coming with us, those two are going to talk - right?"

Jess made a dismissive sound and Matt muttered something that sounded more like 'nap' than anything else but Rio trusted them to figure it out.

 

* * *

 

"They're your friends, Sam, why didn't you tell me immediately?" Shuri demanded as several of the screens lit up with numbers and flashing lights. Miles seemed like a nice enough kid, nothing like the Peter she knew but loyal and kind from what she'd seen and that was more than enough to make him a worthy namesake.

"This is such a big deal and I'm really trying not to clue Matt or Jessica in on how big of a deal this is," Sam said flatly.

"They're pretty aware," Rio said.

Miles chuckled. "Putting all the baby drama aside, the simple fact that Matt Murdock is outside of New York State makes this the biggest deal. A lizard ran past us in the garden and he almost climbed a tree - a tree, you guys."

One of the screens lit up and Maria Hill appeared, looking comfortable on Matt and Jessica's couch with a suspiciously well-groomed puppy. "Oh. Hi, guys. Doc M, you there?"

Rio waved in the screen's general direction and Maria grinned and relaxed. "So, hot tip - don't leave freshly opened pregnancy tests in storage rooms or biohazard disposal boxes in case of suspicious nurse staff."

"Oh God," she whispered.

Maria waved her off. "You got lucky, though - they don't seem to have clued in on patient zero yet because they're distracted by the six - wait, let me say it again for clarity - six - positive tests for recent nausea patients."

Shuri stared into the screen. "Six? What the hell are you doing in New Brooklyn that we aren't?"

"Whose dog is that? Did you take Matt's puppy? Oh my God, I'm telling - " Miles hissed.

Maria started to flip him off but flinched when she remembered his mom was there. "Frank figured out whatever Matt tried not to tell him and said that it was mandatory to protect the kid. But we're already having some drama - one of the grandmothers has people trying to seduce her other daughters and all of the fathers have been propositioned - allegedly unsuccessfully."

"Just New Brooklyn?" Sam asked.

"I'm not in the worldwide game anymore, Wilson, that's why I'm calling you. Johnny's still got his family's lab and all of Richards' science stuff is still running. We still boil all our tap water, but he says our rainwater shows clean - all the way to the Mississippi the water's reading clear for the first time in a long time. You guys got data?" Maria asked.

"Not like that, nobody's running widespread tests on your continent," Shuri said. "Richards, you mean, Reed Richards?"

"She's banging the Human Torch," Rio whispered.

"Mom," Miles scolded. "They're in love."

"No, it's definitely the first one," Maria said. "Don't rush me, Kid."

Shuri shook her head to get all the bullshit out of her brain. Babies. New Brooklyn was making babies and she might have a chance to do something meaningful for her country - for her people - for the world - oh -

"Richards had his labs locked down so it takes a DNA match to fire it up, but he's way too excited about the Devil's kid and promised to go back tomorrow and call you from inside if you're interested - " Maria said.

She wanted him to be there now but had to hold her impatience.

"Why can't he go now?" Sam asked.

"He's checking the perimeter for the six families, making sure they're in marked zones we have eyes on since our ears are in Wakanda," Maria said. "He'll be done soon, I don't want to rush him."

Another screen opened and Queen Valkyrie of New Asgard loomed over them in full regalia. "Oi, am I the only one that dressed up? I'm firing that - whoever told me to dress up - that person is fired!"

"Val, hey! Long time, Girl, you never call, never write - " Maria cheered.

Val opened her mouth to chat but Shuri waved both hands to silence all the people that weren't accustomed to listening to her directives on a regular basis.

"New Brooklyn's making babies," Sam said, stealing her moment. "My friends - my very good friends are having one and I need a place - "

"They're staying here, that's not why I called her," Shuri said. "We need to investigate and - "

"Babies take top priority," Val said. "Bring them immediately - "

"Wait - everybody stop," Shuri groaned. "We need a long term plan - "

"Ooh, I know this - " Miles said. "Avengers Assemble?"

"I believe that strange child is right. We should discuss in person. Gather your most trusted advisors, Highness, and bring me the Falcon's kin," Valkyrie announced. "We will travel to New Brooklyn together and begin researching."

"I won't leave them unprotected, I might as well have left them in New Brooklyn," Sam said.

"Arthur and Thor are visiting, they will definitely be well-protected here. We have healers that have treated expectant mothers of all species and variations."

Maria snapped her fingers and the trained puppy barked and silenced the dispute. "Don't really need a bunch of out-of-towners rolling up right now."

Shuri turned to see if Doc M had any input but the Spider and his mom were gone. God, she failed at diplomacy so hard even when there were no actual countries to deal with.

 

* * *

 

Jessica sighed. "Guess leaving New Brooklyn was a mistake. My bad."

Matt didn't stir, his hair still damp from his shower or the humidity, but too exhausted to wake up with Rio and Miles in his space. He knew them so his innate danger radar didn't switch on.

"I - " Rio hesitated.

"You need to be there for all the new babies, not just mine. Are they enhanced?" Jessica waited for her friend to shake her head in the negative. "Then they definitely need you more than I do."

"But we can't leave you - " Miles blurted out.

"Yeah, we should head back, too. What a fucking mess. But we've always been good at making the absolute worst decisions."

Matt sat up abruptly, knocking her hand out of his hair. "Is the window open?"

A giant red butterfly was perched on the window sill lazily flapping its wings. Miles snickered and shooed it away.

"Did I miss anything?" Matt asked.

"We're going home, there's a new development in the whole - baby boom," Jessica said.

It took a moment for understanding to fill his face. "There are others?"

"Six," Miles said. "It's a mess."

"Well, it's home so that's normal," Matt replied. "Are you sure you want - "

"God, yes, the Queens are arguing over who gets to keep us like we're pets. There's a reason we didn't level-up into superheroes - vigilante works so much better," Jessica sighed again, kissing his cheek. "You got us here, can you get us home?"

"Let's pack. Miles, can you find Bucky for us?"

 

* * *

 

  
" _Well, you fucked that all to hell,_ " Bucky said in his ear when Sam stepped away from the bickering in the communication room.

"How do you even know, you left me in here with politicians," he groaned.

_"Yeah, because Matty and his friends needed a quick and quiet exit. Did Shuri even talk to them? I mean, I get that she's got a lot of duties now but - I don't think she spared Jessica a glance after the baby news got dropped. Doc M was not impressed and Matt said he heard all the people in the halls talking about it."_

Sam sat down and turned his back on the room. "You took them home?"

_"Couple more hours to go. It wasn't a total wash, Miles had a blast and got to see a functional city - so there's that."_

"Are they pissed?"

_"Not at you. Doc M would have liked to see more of the medical center and Matt would have liked to try some of the local food but they're more worried about New Brooklyn falling to shit than playing tourist."_

"Yeah," Sam sighed.

_"I'll call you when I've got them settled in and secured."_

"Thanks."

_"Hey. I love you, yeah?"_

"I love you, too. Come back and get me when you're done."

 _"Sure sure, got to see a guy about a dog first, though_ , _"_ Bucky smiled in his ear.

He tucked his phone away and sighed again before getting to his feet and rejoining the madness. He clasped Shuri's shoulder gently. "Hey, my friends went home so you can take that off the agenda."

"What?" she asked, visibly shocked.

"They - didn't want this kind of help," Sam said. "Are you surprised considering neither of them got invited to this meeting?"

"Guys, guys," Maria's voice broke through their private conversation. "You aren't listening to me - New Brooklyn cannot handle a bunch of guests, we don't have food to spare, we don't have clean rooms to share out - we don't have Wakandian or Asgardian tech giving us power and clean water - we had to use car parts to fix our sewage treatment plant okay? Our cops used to be garbage men and bus drivers, our doctors used to be nurses, all our surgeons are actually vets - are you getting any of this? New Brooklyn can take care of its people, but it can't play host to any visitors. Not like this."

"Matt's on his way back," Sam confessed.

Maria's face lit up. "Awesome, then I wash my hands of all of this. Seeing Doc M will calm down the patients, everybody knows her and the Devil and Jones can get lodging set up for you because they know everybody. See? It all works out."

"You just said you didn't have provisions - " Val frowned.

Maria shrugged. "Been a long time since I had any strings left to pull, but these folks will come through if Matt or Jess lay it out. They know who looked out for their little corner of the world - and it wasn't the superheroes or the soldiers. If Matt and Jess trust you, New Brooklyn will follow suit - but they definitely aren't going to open their borders on my word."

"Can you reach the other American settlements? San Fran or Denver?" Shuri asked her.

"I can," Sam frowned. "Why?"

"If the infertility problem is wearing off, we'll need to prepare what's left of the world for a full on baby boom. Wakanda currently has the most resources to provide proper prenatal care and monitoring - and with the global population at such an all time low, I'm sure we can find a way to distribute vitamins, equipment and - "

Valkyrie nodded onscreen. "Agreed - New Asgard is eager to join forces to heal Midgard."

"Guess you're making some calls, Cap," Maria grinned at him. He gave her the finger and felt a little worse and a lot better all at once.

 

* * *

 

"Oh come on, we were gone, like, two days tops and everyone loses their shit?" Jessica called across the overactive lobby until the chiefs of police, fire and rescue services all raised middle fingers in the air to greet her as she was accustomed.

Maria was a great leader, sure, if she was in charge of trained soldiers or agents - not so much when she was barking orders at self-taught security guys armed with tasers and batons.

One of the cops took her by the arm. "Jones, I'm never going to say this again, but - it's nice to see you."

"Wow," she replied honestly. She preferred the 'fuck offs' to that.

The fire chief stopped her next, insisting that they were not allowed to poach the Human Torch for non-fire related emergencies because it was 'bad for morale' and she 'should know better'.

She steered him back to where the other chiefs were gathered and scared off curious gossips that tried to follow her. They'd have plenty of gossip to go around soon enough. "Okay, so do you want the bad news or the worse news first?"

"Christ, what now? Do you know about the baby drama? I swear if Lonnie tries to knock me up, you'll have to lock me up because - " the police chief started.

Okay, fair, but Chief Ferris was far past sixty and she hoped Lonnie would figure it out. "Yeah, I'm all over that situation unfortunately. Or not," she edited. She didn't want this kid - and it was more solid in her mind as an actual kid now - to hear anything ever about being 'unfortunate'.

"We're going to have some visitors from outside, for a while. Wakanda, New Asgard, San Fran, maybe Nova Scotia if Deadpool's sane this week - "

"Pause. You're all over the situation?" Chief Jenkins cut in.

"I will cut you," Jessica reminded him. "Matt thinks the power guys could get the old Hilton on the grid and fit most of them, use the parking deck to land their fancy little jets and flying horses. That wouldn't clog up our trade routes or bother the locals too much since it's right on the edge of the rehab construction zone."

"They coming to check on the babies?" Chief Lance asked thoughtfully, but he was staring hard at her stomach in Matt's zipped jacket. She knew she should have grabbed her own coat.

"Oh yeah. They're - eager to help. Our docs can use the backup and they have the stuff to actually start researching what's changed since we had anyone around here checking up on it. Free intel, free training, free supplies - it doesn't *have* to be a clusterfuck if we keep a handle on it. Right?"

They laughed at her. So hard.

 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Valkyrie is really hard for me to spell consistently for some reason. I'm movie/netflix based, so no offense intended to her awesomeness if I used the incorrect name/title.


	4. Chapter 4

"Final count is 350, everyone RSVP'd with the full understanding that each four people would have at least one bed, running water and a room with electricity provided for them but that it's not a hotel. The guys from Iowa are pumped, but the Amish group from outside Philly will need somewhere to park their horses. Preferably with grass so I have no idea what to do for them," Matt told the group, dramatically sprawling across Jessica's lap to claim a seat on the couch without actually shoving Bucky out of the way.

Bucky had not returned to Wakanda for Sam, instead he'd taken guardianship of the new puppy and sweet-talked his way into one of the new empty apartments in Matt and Jessica's building. Maybe Bucky had been thinking of coming 'home' to Brooklyn before Matt made his emergency call, or maybe not, but the guy was spending a lot more time decorating his place than he was helping them prepare for the influx of guests.

"The Amish? How'd they make out?" Sam asked, reluctantly dislodging baby Buzzkill from his lap to make room for Bucky to share the loveseat.

Matt's only a little bit jealous that they got his dog without a waiting period.

"Like everybody else, lost 95% of their population but this group took in a lot of refugees and the ones they couldn't convert they helped set up in the suburbs close by. We send some people down a couple of times a year to share training tips and trade. The power grid's all fucked up so we try to have people trained near all the working power stations just in case," Jessica shrugged.

"So who's the lucky one that gets to greet everyone?" Bucky asked.

"The mayor, duh. Sure, he'll have Daredevil and Spidey suited up and perched on a roof - probably make Deadpool and Johnny suit up, too for the extra flash," Jessica snorted.

"You have a mayor? I guess there had to be some kind of structure," Sam hummed thoughtfully.

"Guy was a tour guide before everything, turned up at Rio's clinic the first day she opened with eighteen little orphans he'd been protecting from the riots. Failed Broadway actor, but he knows how to get votes and his eighteen orphans are an epic campaign team at election time," Jessica said.

"He sanctions vigilante support on the condition that it's non-lethal. Sure, people still have guns squirreled away but Mayor Al has no problem when the cops send Castle to a house with his flock of attack dogs to sniff out a stockpiler," Matt added.

"They send me after the perverts and I signed nothing," Wade Wilson announced as he dropped through the window.

"You guys know Wade, right?" Matt waved his hand without moving as introduction.

"By reputation only," Sam muttered.

"Man, you gotta stop sending Johnny into the family lab, he's totally going to cry during group again and we're on a three month with no tears roll lately," Wade told Matt, ignoring the others completely.

"Aw, good job, babe," Jessica teased. Matt resented that, he didn't cry *all* the time.

"He wants to help and once Shuri figures out how to get the data without his DNA key, he'll be off the hook," Matt said. "You got time for coffee?"

"Pause for the guests, guys, you have group? As in group therapy?" Sam interrupted.

"They get drunk and throw knives at each other," Jessica snorted.

"And talk about our feelings," Wade added.

Matt turned his head enough to address Sam. "It's not group therapy, or AA, or anger management, and it's definitely not grief counseling - but our weekly meeting with refreshments and conversation is permissible as substitute for any of those assignments given by a doctor or a judge."

Wade finally acknowledged the Captains with a practiced sigh. "Right, so, business talk."

"We have business?" Bucky asked, careful.

"Most of the surviving X-Men and students pissed off to Canada after everything went to shit. The summit's bringing a few back to town," Wade said. "A particularly antisocial mutant has inquired about the Falcon. Didn't ask about a Captain, just a bird."

Matt didn't get it but Sam's heartbeat stuttered.

"Wanda?" Sam whispered. "Nobody's heard from her in years - how - "

Wade shrugged but Matt knew he was still putting on his best game. "Girl has a shit-ton of problems, but she's on the mend. She'll be at the summit, but it's just a cover for her to make nice - are you cool with making nice?"

"Fuck you," Bucky snapped but Sam cut him off.

"Dude. Steve died, Clint died, Natasha died - but Wanda *left* - do you - it gutted us, okay, fuck you, there's no making nice, there's nothing - I miss her, of course I want to see her, fuck you," Sam choked out.

Critical alert - Sam Wilson was upset - that was a fucking emergency under any circumstances - "Hey - "

Wade snapped his fingers obnoxiously to recapture the room's attention and Matt had a vision of himself cleaning blood off the couch again. "She made me promise to ask out loud with words and shit. She said - fucking witch making me her message boy - she said she knew you'd be okay if she left but she didn't know if she would be if she stayed."

"How do you even know her?" Bucky asked, but his tone was soft and Sam seemed to be recovering.

"Wade traveled a lot after, everything," Jessica offered.

"Turns out I might have known her dad," Wade admitted. "I don't think he was aware he had kids, but she had some proof. They napalmed Westchester - doubt they showed that on the news but it was - I gave her his death notification. Told her he died in his sleep from the sickness."

Sam laughed sharply. "You told her that?"

"I happen to be an amazing liar, Asshole," Wade defended. "But she did stab me in the eye and zap my brain to get the truth. Whatever, this isn't about any of that. Don't upset my witch friend and keep your gross mental health professional germs away from our group night and we can all get along, all right?"

"You're Matt's friend and they're Matt's friends, there is no question about 'getting along'," Jessica said darkly and Wade flinched, well aware of the boss around here.

"Hey, so I get my boyfriend's uninvited, but I'm completely down with throwing knives at you, how do I get in on that?" Bucky asked.

 

* * *

 

"Matt."

He finished filling his cup of coffee before turning to face her, keeping both hands possessively around the mug. "Yes, dear?"

She snorted. "Really? 'Dear'?"

He smiled. "What, we're great at domestic."

"Don't read my mind," she muttered, taking a deep inhale of his coffee as she moved it aside to slide her arms around his waist. "I was wrong about leaving the city, we need our friends around more than we need to hide."

"Debatable, but I'm listening."

"What's to debate?"

"Most of our friends are nuts," Matt whispered.

She shoved him. "Asshole."

"I thought this discussion was over already, Jess. We're home, they're having a 'world summit' to ensure the health of the babies and there's a whole crate of baby books in your office," Matt said. "So what's really - "

She inhaled. "It was better when it was just us. Rio and Miles, not just - all these people being allowed in our space, it's - "

"It's still just us, Jess. Me and you and the not-gas in your stomach," Matt hummed into her hair. "Once we get through the 'summit', we'll be able to move on with our plans."

"What plans?" Jessica asked.

"Babies are loud. Our baby will probably be - louder to me. I'm tuned in on you, right? I can pick your voice out of a crowd, your heartbeat out in the middle of Wakanda," Matt confided. "I do it with Miles, without even thinking about it, I'll know from eight blocks away that he's talking to a cute girl because his pulse spikes - it's probably going to be a whole 'thing' when the baby's here. I'll need to think about cutting back on my Daredevil time, we can't take the kid to work with us - not where we work now and I'm not sure we'll be able to agree on babysitters - "

"Never," Jessica snapped without thinking. "Wait."

"Right," Matt chuckled, smoothing his knuckles over her cheek. "So we can handle being here - now - while you're still normal-shaped and mobile - and make sure that our next move, temporary or permanent, has adequate planning from both of us. I would never have taken you to Wakanda if I'd known how many bugs and lizards they have," he added.

"So I need to start thinking - long term. I hate that idea," Jessica realized.

"There's my girl," Matt laughed.

 

* * *

 

"Flags."

"Like the Olympics. This isn't the Olympics, Al," Sam told the Mayor.

"But - "

Matt leaned forward to put his head between his knees. Miles patted his back to show solidarity. The pre-summit meeting was not starting off well.

"They're coming to talk about science and making sure everyone has working communications and stuff," Miles offered. "It's not a celebration."

Al perked up, totally misinterpreting his point. "It's totally a celebration, it's the first open meeting of minds in almost a decade!"

"Do you want to be president, Al?" Matt asked the floor.

"Jesus no!"

"Then stop trying to make this more difficult than it already is. If you want to give them a show, ask Johnny to do some fireworks on the first and last nights and make sure the park's sound system works in case the entertainment folks have time to put on some shows," Matt said. "No parades, no flag ceremonies, no - "

"No global baby shower - I've only known you three days and I know you were thinking it," Sam picked up and Matt's relieved when Al laughed at the accusation instead of openly denying it.

"You are absolutely no fun," Al said.

Miles stopped patting his back and Matt sat up, waiting for the kid's light bulb moment to follow - Miles had a lot of 'tells'. "The Hilton has a pretty big wall on the side of the parking deck, right? We'll do a giant mural, all the settlements with their pop count - and the date. That way, we can change the numbers when the babies start coming."

"It's not as showy as a parade, but I suppose it'll last longer," Al said but Matt could sense his approval - and Sam's.

"It's the best idea I've heard since I got here," Matt said.

Al thumped him. "Because you're biased, Murdock. We're all dreading when you turn your favoritism from the Spider to the new baby."

Miles flinched. "Not gonna happen, I'll just be the favorite uncle to the kid instead the favorite sidekick."

"You're not a sidekick," Matt corrected.

"And you're definitely not going to be favorite uncle," Sam added.

"Challenge accepted," Miles replied after a beat.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks everyone! ♥


	5. Chapter 5

 

  _*Later*_

 

 

  
Matt stepped out of the clinical room with a panicked expression on his face. Wade made it to him before anyone else in the approved 'family' room. Sadly, he knew exactly what that expression meant - Matt was losing his shit at the absolute worst time. Matt stepped into his hug without needing instructions.

Wade kept Matt huddled inside his giant biceps and turned his back to the crowding guests. "Shh, that's good - you're fine, just breathe slow - we have a child, it has lots of hair and it's very gross, that's just fine, Matty," he said in a patient tone, daring anyone to speak up when they processed that he was repeating it for their benefit. "Eight pounds, three ounces, that's totally fine. I'm sure your mom is totally proud, but that's - "

Johnny Storm immediately took over with Bucky at his side. Wade released him into their holds, realizing they'd been around for that part of Matt's breakdown.

"It's a girl, I - Jess said - I can't - " Matt's hands scrabbled down Johnny's arm without finding grip and the Torch took his hands tightly. He steered him into the men's room with Bucky close on his heels and Wade felt the worried friends - family - descend on him.

"The kid and Jess are fine but the blood and - I don't know, feelings - triggered him, his breathing's all out of whack," Wade told Sam since he was the new Point Person for mental health now that he and Bucky were permanent residents.

Rio emerged from the room, scanning for Matt before settling on Sam and Wade. "The baby's cleaned up now. The nurse that tried to get him to cut the cord has been - politely reprimanded."

Wade winced. "That would do it."

"So can we make the announcement that the baby's okay?" the mayor called from somewhere near the back.

Johnny and Bucky stepped out like bodyguards with Matt between them. He looked a lot steadier and his chest wasn't heaving from lack of oxygen. He accepted Rio's hug. "Sorry about that - "

"You walked away before it got dramatic, so you're doing great," Rio said, releasing him. "Steady?"

"Enough. I know what year it is and who I should be hearing in the room, so I'm steady," Matt replied. He raised his voice for the eavesdroppers' benefit. "And you can make the announcement that the birth was success and there were no complications."

There was a muted cheer and lots of excited scrambling to pass along the news.

Matt tilted his head toward Wade. "Hey. Can you make sure the house - "

"Oh my God, dude, Frank has been camping on your roof for three weeks, your house is totally secure - go talk to your girlfriend," Wade stifled his laugh.

"We got married last week, we're having a party when she's cleared to drink hard liquor," Matt said absently, taking Rio's arm. "I'm good to go."

 

* * *

 

"Sanity squad?" Jessica murmured, opening her eyes when she felt Matt take her hand.

"They're on duty," he replied, kissing her cheek. "Sorry."

"We both did our very best today," she said. "So glad to have that thing out of me. Probably doesn't mean much to you, but I missed seeing my feet." She wiggled her toes.

"Did you sell her for parts already?" Matt smiled.

"Docs are checking her over, giving her a bath," Jessica said. "You really okay?"

Matt took a breath and she focused on him, searching his face. "There was a little more blood than I expected and with the medical staff and all the - people outside, it was familiar in all the wrong ways."

That was reassuring - hopefully they wouldn't be in this specific situation again any time soon. She squeezed his hand and he leaned in for a real kiss. She thought after carrying around a baby for nine months that she'd finally be getting her life back - but she was getting a whole new one instead.

The door opened and Matt leaned back in the seat. Rio rolled her eyes at them as she brought the baby over to the bed. "She passed all the tests with flying colors," Rio said, glancing between them.

Matt stood up and took his baby girl into his arms with a soft expression that made Jessica go squishy inside. "So much hair, is that normal?" He asked, kissing the crown of her head as he carefully passed her to Jessica.

Did he not want to hold her? Jessica stared down at the wrinkled breakable baby in her arms. "Dark like yours, not ginger."

"Thank God. Skin to skin, I don't want to be all shirtless in front of the nurses," Matt whispered, brushing his hand through the baby's hair again. "Maybe she's hungry?"

They were both utterly terrified of fucking up this up but she'd watched the videos and read all the books.

"Do you have a name yet? Miles says the news feed is getting a little demanding," Rio asked, visibly restraining herself from helping.

"Ow. Okay. This is weird," Jessica said when her baby - her daughter - her child - started to feed. "Her name's Brook Lynn because Matthew is lazy as fuck," she added.

"Objection, her name's Brook Lynn because Jessica vetoed all my choices as 'too biblical'," Matt frowned.

"They were, Catholic freak," Jessica said fondly.

"Thank you," Rio said, scribbling something on a tablet. "And the wedding?"

She turned and glared at Matt. "You told?"

"I was having a lot of emotions," Matt replied after a beat. "But I put out the call for hard liquor."

That *almost* made up for it.


End file.
